Chained-head auger



Nm .2s,1939. w. D. OSBORN 2,181,306

CHAINED-HEAD AUGER Filed Sept. 15, 1937 Patented Nov. 28, 1939 Uni-Ten stares WENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

- This invention is a rotary, percussive, chainedhead auger.

An object is to provide a'percussive type auger of self-advancing operation for centrifugally, impactively impinging a corroded or otherwise'coated or choked surface, whether exterior or interior of a given body, wall or conduit to be treated for the removal of the adherent coat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safe, efficient and rapid cutting, auger-type tool whereby to gouge air an objectionable accretion from various surfaces, such for instance, as frequently forms in pipe lines and conduits through which various fluids fiow.

A further object isto provide an auger including a system of chains which are attached to a rotative arbor by a series of axially spaced anchors fixed in a helical line along the rotary arbor so that when the driver. is turned at a sufficient speed the chains will tend tostraighten out radially from the arbor and will also take a helical system position along the arbor; each chain having at its free, outer end a suitable scorifier or gouging block.

Actual me of such a helical-system block auger of this type shows'that it is rapid cutting and selfadvancing when applied to the removal of accretions in a pipe or sewer bore.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forthin the ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafter developed, and whose construction, combination and details of means, and the manner of operation will be made manifest in the description of the herewith illustrated embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, principle and spirit of the invention as more directly hereinafter claimed.

Figure l is a side elevation of the tool as in operation.

Figure 2 is a frontal end view of the tool (in rotational effect).

4 Figure 3 is a plan showing the angular arrangement of the anchor to set the normal angle of the chain head as to the axis of the driving arbor.

Figure 4 is a bottom or inner face plan of one of the heads to show the angle of its attaching bolt- The tool includes a substantial, rigid arbor 2 to one end of which is connected a flexible steel rod s whereby it may be rotated at a desired speed and pulled back, if need be, when working in a 55 pipe or other bore.

Securely fixed along the arbor 2 is a helicall arranged set of axially spaced, anchor eyes 4 which, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, are preferably set at suitable obliquity across the arbor 2.

To each anchor is attached a short, strong 5 chain 5 the links of which, when centrifugally straightened, will take an angle fixed by the set angle of the fixed anchors 4. To the end link of each chain is attached an eye bolt 6 having a normal position, in the linkage here shown, at a 0 right angle to that of its anchor 2. Each eye-bolt 6 is fixed rigidly to a terminal block 1. The blocks are preferably of rectangular section both lengthwise and crosswise so as to present angular cor-' ners both at the lateral ends and the longitudinal 15 sides.

The bolt or hitch eyes 6 are rigidly set with the plane of their eyes parallel to the longitudinal axes of their blocks 1 and these are, in plan, of rhomboidal form with their length along and 20 oblique to the axis of the arbor 2 with a slight right-hand pitch, Fig. 3, which is also the direction of the helical line of the anchors 4. The obliquity of the rhomboidal blocks is such that their ends lie at about a right angle across the 25 arbor 2 and thus there is presented an acuteangle, leading or cutting corner C.

The blocks may be of very hard metal, or may be suitably hardened, or their cutting or impacting edges may be hard-faced in. any well known 30 manner.

It will be seen that each block will impact the accretion A, on a surface, and if this is in a pipe bore the helical or auger-line arrangement of the cutting or percussion blocks (in action), under 35 centrifugal force, will cause them to helically gouge their way along the adherent material'on the surface of the bore.

The blocks l are here shown as so set that adjacent ends of successive blocks lie substantially in 40 the same transverse plane across-the arbor 2. In other words, the anchors are spaced about equal to the lengths of their chain head blocks 1; whereby to percussively sweep the full bore surface.

It is found by actual use of the tool that when it is rotated at about the speed of seven hundred fifty revolutions per minute the resolution of forces set up by the material being scored in a sewer causes a positive forward advance of the tool.

What is claimed is:

A percussive, conduit cleaning tool having a rotative arbor, a set of relatively independent, im- I pacting, cutter elements, means ,translatively attaching the elements to the arbor and including a link hitch, said elements presenting, in one direction of rotation, symmetrical, elongate, leading edges lying in the general direction of the axis of the arbor and which are, when functioning, obliquely arranged so as to have such an angle between said edges and the arbor axis as to cause a tendency of the tool to advance axially while the elements are in effective rotational operation in the material to be cut; said hitch including parts which resiliently hold the said leading edges in said position against tortional displacement while the elements are thrown to their limits by centrifugal force but allow the elements to be yieldably bodily translated when abutting superior resistance.

2. The cleaning tool of claim 1, and said cutting elements being connected by said means to the arbor in a generally balanced, helical order with their leading edges in said oblique relation to the axis throughout the set.

3. The cleaning tool of claim 1, and said cutting elements being in helical disposition about the arbor and said cutting edges inclining in the same general direction or pitch as to the helix.

4. A cleaning tool of the percussive class, having a rotative arbor and a helical arrangement of centrifugal, impact members independently bodily translated under superior resistance and individually connected to said arbor for translative function and having symmetrical cutting edges so obliquely arranged as to the axis of the arbor as to have an arbor advancing reaction; the means connecting the members to the arbor including hitch parts which are so arranged and adapted, when stretched by centrifugal force at cutting speeds, to resiliently resist bodily movement of Said members from a normal radial position, and to resiliently resist tortional displacement of said members from said oblique arrangement.

WILLIAM D. OSBORN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,181,506. November 28, 1959.

WILLIAM D OSBORN.

It is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneously issued to the inventor, said "OSBORN" whereas said patent shouldhave been issued to Hubert R. Crane, of Los Angeles, California, as assignee of the entire interest therein, as shown by the record of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. r

Signed and sealed this 16th day of January, A. D. l9LLO.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents; 

